unknown cluster creature

Posted August 8th, 2010 by RebeccaKW

Images:

Hello, I am new here, and a total novice in identifying sea creatures. I live on South Puget Sound, along Pickering Passage. This picture was taken this morning at low tide. This cluster of translucent white "blobs" was floating near the tide line. I have an ID sheet for the area, but nothing like this was shown on it. My friend who lives here said she had seen a small cluster once, but nothing this big. It measured about 2 feet across, and each segment was about 2 inches long. It had the feeling of sausage casings. I am hoping someone here can tell me what it is and whether is is an invasive species or native.

Hi and welcome to the site!
Those are Squid Eggs - usually they're attached to something in the subtidal zone, and you'd never see the cluster of eggs unless you were diving, but it looks like this one broke loose. Inside each of those little 'sausage casings' is a bunch of little eggs.

The squid we have commonly around here are called Market or Opalescent Squid. Every once in awhile while we're diving we'll get to see them laying those egg casings, which is very cool indeed!

Janna,
Thanks so much for your ID and explanation. I am so glad they are not some invasive species. Can you tell me whether they will be able to mature and be born, or will they die since they are loose and floating?

Now I need to get a picture of the big reddish ball attached to the sea floor that my friend and I saw last year and can't identify! And it didn't match an anemone or urchin pic.